Top/Elite Affiliates

Eric Scull of MuggleNet had the chance to chat with Matt on Monday about the new series of Bluestone 42 which premiered last night (watch now on BBC iPlayer.) I quickly transcribed most of the interview, which you can listen to in full here, leaving out a few things we’ve already heard. If someone would like to transcribe the questions I skipped, please send them in.

Eric: What is new this year versus previous years in Bluestone?Matt: For those that watched the ending to series 2, we pretty much pick up right where we left off. […describes end of series 2…] We find out how the team have come out of that, whether they’ve come out completely unscathed or there’s been some trouble. I guess what’s new is, it’s hard to describe without giving anything away. We have got some new stuff. I don’t want to give much away but it’s a real roller coaster and there will be some really jaw-dropping moments that people are not going to be expecting. I don’t just mean this episode, I’m talking about the whole series.

ES: I was reading an article from The Guardian from last Spring, a bomb disposal expert said that the dark humor was really spot on. I guess that’s general consensus that the show has received from war vets and people that have been in those situations.ML: Yea, thankfully. When you’re making a show like this, when you’re making a drama you want to make it as accurate as possible. But when you’re making a comedy, we have a real responsibility there that we research it meticulously and make sure it’s as accurate as it could possibly be. There’s a fine line between laughing at what these people do and laughing with them and we want to make sure we’re laughing with them and all of the jokes and all the humor is theirs. And we want to make sure that any squaddies that are at home watching it can totally relate and it will remind them of the fun times and camaraderie that they had. So yea, we want to make the show for the soldiers, the men and women in the arms forces, as much as the people sat at home watching, and really luckily. Well, I say lucky, but it’s down to Richard and James, our writers, who work tirelessly to make sure it’s accurate and it’s been really well received. We’ve been fortunate enough to be invited along to a lot of armed forces events whether it’s help the heroes charities, injured soldiers and what not. And the reception has been really great, and for us it’s been absolutely fantastic. I’m really glad that the hero of the armed forces are enjoying it.

[Additionally he was asked how he would describe the show to someone who’s watching for the first time. Matt also described how his character got the nickname Towerblock.]

ES: I imagine there was extensive military training for the role. Did you go through any sort of boot camp?ML: Well, not so much of a boot camp, but we definitely had a lot of lectures. We had a lot of advisors on set. We’ve got former captain Liam Fitzgerald Finch and a current captain, who actually take that lonely walk to diffuse bombs. When I first got the job last year, Liam took me through everything which was fascinating. You can just sit down and ask them any question, they’re there to make sure we get it right. We want to get the show right, we don’t want people saying ‘no that’s not right’ so we ask these guys as many questions as possible. We really couldn’t make the show without Liam and Ally.

ES: Now the show films in South Africa, what’s that like?ML: It’s amazing, we’re in Stellenbosch, which is a lovely wine region about 40 minutes out of Cape Town. And it’s just rolling hills and mountains and all you do when you’re not working is eat red meat and drink red wine. And so it is, you know it’s tough, but someone’s got to do it. So I’ll take one for the team and keep going down there and do that. I didn’t want to come home, I was there for 2 months and I did not want to come home. I mean apart from the fact that you’re working with an incredible bunch of people, cast and crew, the environment couldn’t be any better either.

ES: There’s lots of antics and jokes on camera, how about off camera? Are there pranks on set or are there jokes you play on each other?ML: You know bits and bobs happen. We’ve got a pretty tight schedule and with the fights and explosions and stuff we’ve got to get through there’s not really a whole lot of time for dawdling around and messing around but obviously being a comedy the directors and producers are quite keen to let us have a little bit of leeway and a little bit of fun and there’s a few things we get up to. But really, with Africa, where we are, there’s more to do with all the amazing things around us. Every weekend we were doing something whether we were climbing a mountain or swimming with Great White Sharks, there’s always amazing experiences to be had and with a bunch of people where everyone is keen to do something together. With a lot of wine thrown into the mix.

ES: You’ve recently moved to London, how’s that going? How are you liking living in London now?ML: It’s been great, and again it’s part and parcel of the people that I’ve met on the show. My life has always been in Leeds and I’ve been very happy with that, but being out in Africa wit this particular gang has just been so much fun. I’ve found so many kindred spirits. We’ve got Scott Hoatson who plays Rocket, and there’s Laura Aikman who joined this series this year, she comes in episode 2. We really clicked and hit it off and we’ve got a tight close-knit gang and so it was getting a bit tedious coming down on the train all the time to hang around with these guys. I thought, ‘you know what? sod it, I’m just going to move.’ and so I moved into the same area, I live just down the road from Scott and Jamie who play Mac and Rocket, the two Scotties. So it’s pretty fun, it’s nice we get to see each other quite a bit.

[Then Matt quickly discusses how much of an old man he is when it comes to music. He’s more into Rock and Roll and Sixties than Pop. (Same here, Matt!) He also mentions he loves Oasis and Noel Gallagher.]

ES: There’s this project you’ve been attached to for some time, The Brontes, do you have any knowledge as to how that’s going or if it will begin production soon?ML: I really don’t. It was a thing that I read the script and was intrigued by it and was keen. But I’m not really sure, I’m kind of busy this year. I’ve got a couple things coming up, which I’m really excited about. I’ve got another film coming up this year, so I don’t really know if I’m going to have any time at the minute to be honest, but it’s sort of gone away at the minute. I’m not too sure about it. You probably know as much as me.

But there’s some other really good stuff coming up, I can guarantee that! Unfortunately. I’ve just spoke to Megan about it and there’s nothing that can be said at the moment. But some stuff coming!

La Gazette du Sorcier was part of a small group chat with Matthew while he was at the Harry Potter convention in Paris this past weekend. A rough translation of the questions he was asked may be read below. If anyone can give us a more accurate one that would be great! Also, don’t forget to send in any of your photos!

If you couldbeany character, real or fictional, who would you choose?He openshis eyes widebefore exclaiming“Wow, that‘s a very good question!Difficultas… “Hebegins by explainingthat hehas never played areal villain, so he would liketo play atruly diabolicalcharacter.A friendis obsessedwith the role ofHitler, heis keen toincarnate, but he does not tryittoo. He thensaid hedid a lot ofsports,heis very interested inrugby and one of his friends isprofessional rugbyplayer Jimmy Peacock,who hasa career anda very interesting story, so thathewould love toplaythis role if theopportunity arose.It alsoreally lovethe book TheMind Game, and if it wassuitable, he would love to havearolein it. He repeated thatit was a verygood question,and that I shouldaskthe other actorsif I havethe chance.

You shotin filmsandtelevision; What changesin theway of playing andrunning?He loves toturn inthe playoffs,andthat’s whyhe lovesBluestone 42, because as filmingis much morespread out in time unlike amovie, withthe different seasons, it really has timeto construct,explorethe charactertoevolve, just as in the theater, while for a movie,everything goesmuch faster.

Did you shoot a new filmexpectedsoon?Matt isstill attached to thebiopicThe Brontes, but does not know wherethe project stands.He has just returnedfrom South Africawhere he shotthe third season ofBluestone 42, and promisesthat the firstepisode will beexplosive.Healsohad a part in theseries Death in Paradise,and will appear ina few episodes ofthe upcoming season.He added that theshootingtook placein Guadeloupe,and that hefound it strangethe ideaof it being inFranceand the fact thatthe addresslists “Guadeloupe, France” because it has nothing todo withFrancethatwe imaginewhen we areabroad.He alsohad an interviewfor a filmon the eve ofthe convention, but can’t talk about ityet.

You mentioned the theater, is it somethingyou wouldwant to do?He willmove to Londonnext month, and is hoping that oncethere, hewill havethe opportunity to actat the WestEnd,there area lot ofbeautiful projects there constantlyand the theateris a veryspecial experienceproximitywith the public.He hadrefused atheaterprojectlast yearbecauseof the shooting ofBluestone 42, so he hopes that thisyear maymake this projectclose to hisheart.

Would he like toparticipate ina film projectin theHarry Potteruniverse, likethe FantasticBeasts?If there wasa projectwith the character ofNeville,where the charactertrulybringsomethingto the story,where he is notthere justfor thenod, he would probably liketo join,but he lovesthatitis currently, so it’s notsomething heparticularlyexpects.

What was thefunniest momenton the set ofHarry Potter?He begins by sayingthat fromthe momentRupertGrintwas around, he could be sure theywere fun, butone of the biggestlaughteroccurredon the set ofPrisoner of Azkaban,in the discussionbetweenSnape andDumbledoreall studentsgatheredin the great roomfor the night afterthe intrusion ofSirius Black.Everything had to bevery quiet, butawhoopee cushionhad beenhidden inDanielRadcliffe’s sleeping bag, which of coursecaused the hilarity, and they spentthe restof the daylaughing, unable to return to theirseriousness.

Are therecertain reasonswhy you woulddenya role?He laughshe does not thinkhe could acceptto kill someone, after all depends on howit ispaid!But seriously, he does not think there isanythingthattherebuterait, if the scriptis really good,if that requirement isjustified, it would not behisproblem;He hatedhaving to deny rolesbecause of his filming theDeathin Paradiseseries, but that’s partof the requirementsof the trade.

We quickly caught up with Matthew at last night’s Diagon Alley Preview red carpet and asked him about The Brontes, a new film he is attached to. Watch the video below and stay tuned for the rest of our coverage, we will have a ton of photos of Matt from throughout the press event coming soon. For now, Universal also sent over an official photo of the Potter cast at the end of the red carpet, view it in the gallery.

It has been announced today that Matthew Lewis has been cast in a new film, The Brontes, which, according to their Twitter description, is “the first big-budget, English language, feature-length biopic film of the Bronte siblings.” Their Facebook also has a date of April 2016 attached to the film, but release dates are always subject to change.

Matt has been cast as Branwell Bronte, the only male sibling in the story. IMDB has a short description of the story, which is as follows:

After moving to Haworth in 1820 and following the premature death of their mother, the young Bronte siblings Charlotte, Branwell, Emily and Anne begin to lose themselves in writing fiction as their father, the local vicar, struggles to keep the family together. When the sisters’ novels, published under male pseudonyms, become world-famous they must learn to balance their fame and their new-found wealth with their anonymity.

The film’s director and writer, David Anthony Thomas, had this to say of the casting: I’m really excited to be working with Matthew Lewis on The Brontes. Matthew’s been my first choice to play Branwell Bronte since we first started working on the production and I’m delighted that he’s agreed to play the role.